Bracket for electric lights.



A No. 759,925. PATENIED MAY 17,1904.

. T. SMITH.

BRACKET PoR ELEGTRIG LIGHTS.

.APILIOATION FILED JULY 27. 1903.

z sums-s113511.

N0 MODEL.

L O 9 1 7 1 Y A HMV D E T N4 E T A P E T I M S Td uw 2 9 9v 5 7 0. N

BRACKET PGR ELECTRIC- LIGHTS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 21. 190s.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NOMODEL.

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screws c.

UNITED STATES Patented May 17, 1904.

THEODORF SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

BRACKET FOR ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 759,925, dated May 17, 1904. Application iled iuly27,1903. Serial No. 167,084. (No model.)

My invention relates to certain improve-y ments in brackets 4for electric lights, the object of which is to provide a bracket affording a universal adjustment of the position of the light with respect to its point of support, i said bracket to contain an electric cord, in`

closing the same without endangering it in the movements of the joints of the bracket.

The invention consists in various features of novelty which will appear in the detail de-v scription and which will be pointed out more deinitely in the claims. l

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of the bracket, shown as secured to a wall and carrying alamp, socket, and shade. Fig.

2 is a longitudinal median section of the' bracket, showing portions broken away to reduce the length of the iigurc. Fig. 3 is a vhorizontal sectionlooking downward upon the plane 3 8 of Fig. 2 and disclosing the means for preventing the separation of the two members jointed together at. that point.4

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section looking downlward upon the plane 4 4 of the same figure and disclosing the means for preventing the continued rotation of one member upon the` other, which would be liable to break the jcord.

Fig. 5 is a detail end elevation of a clamp which bears upon the two parallel arms of the bracket. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through said clamp looking down upon the plane 6 6 of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a perspective -view of the universal joint between the free end of the bracket and the lamp-socket.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the wall, upon which is secured two verticallyperforated clamps B C, provided with settical portion Z of the curved lower member D .of the iirst section of the bracket, the main portion of said member being shown as curved upward abruptljT near said clamps at dand In these clamps is secured a verthen curved reversely at d2, thereafter gradually approaching the upper member, as at (Z3, and being secured against rotation in a block E by means of a pin e. The upper member F of the first section of the bracket is shown as tubular and is also secured in the block E. Adjacent to the wall it is connected to the lower member D by means of a T- coupling f, fastened to the member D by a set-screw f. The side of this T-coupling opposite the member F is slit at f2, (see Fig. 2,) so that the electric cord X may be inserted in line with the tubular member F. A perforated bushing Gr is threaded in the top of the T-coupling, and after the insertion of the cord in the bracket this bushing is slipped over the cord and screwed into the coupling, so as to complete the tubular form of the coupling. The block E is provided with avertical tubular post e', (see Fig. 2,) upon which the second section of the bracket is pivoted, and it should be noticed that the construction of the first as described gives it great riassembled with the wall-clamps B C by loos-` ening the set-screw f and separating the two members'at this point sufficiently to permit theclamps to be slipped upon the vertical portion of the lower member. VThe block Eis provided with an opening e2 in line with-the tubular member F, vso that the cord may be slipped directly through said tubular`men1 ber and extend from this opening' before turning it upward throughthe post c. Apivotal connection upon a vertical axis between the first and second joints of the bracketis provided by placing upon the post a coupling-r IOO post when otherwise loose and free to rotate thereon. Upon the side of the clamp G' opposite the clamping-screw is a lug gi and a short distance beneath it are two ears g5 g, one of which is in View in Fig. 1, the other in Fig. 2, and a small portion of each in Fig. 4. Between these ears is pivoted one end of a rod H, and upon the lug g4 is pivoted one end of a tube I by means of a forked end piece t', which embraces the lug. Said lug g4 is perforated at g7 to receive the cord X, and it should be noticed that the slit in the clamp G is directly opposite this perforation, so that in threading the cord in the bracket access to the perforation is afforded in a direct line. in parallel positions and both are embraced by a clamp J, consisting of two portions jj", (see Fig. 5,) of which the part j is preferably provided with a biting-rib f2. (Seen in dotted lines in Fig. 5 and shown in full lines in Fig.

6.) A notch c" is preferably provided in the tube I to receive the rib f2 and prevent longitudinal movement of the clamp upon the tube. The friction of the parts is relied upon to prevent the longitudinal movement of the rod H through the clamp. By adjusting the clamping-screw the desired amount of resistance to such motion can be obtained, which should be just suflicient to support the load placed upon the bracket securely, so that by the application of slight force this arm of the bracket may be moved up or down. The upper face of the block Eis provided with two shoulders ex ey, and between said block and the clamp Gr is placed a washer K, having a tongue 7c, projecting radially and extending downward between the shoulders ex e". Shoulders are also provided upon the ears g5 g of the clamp G, extending downward sufficiently to engage with said tongue of the washer, but not quite reaching the shoulders upon the block E. Said shoulders upon the block E act as stops to limit the rotary movement of the washer with respect to the block, and the tongue of the washer serves as a stop, which engages with the shoulders upon the ears g5 g to limit the rotation of the clamp with respect to the washer. All of said shoulders, as well as the tongue of the washer, are so proportioned as to permit the parallel arms I H to be swung around into the plane of the members F I), so as to give the parallel `members a movement throughout a complete circle upon the first section of the bracket. This could not be accomplished with stops or shoulders merely upon the two portions of the joint. rIhe material necessary to form the shoulders would necessarily reduce the extent of such movement. As before stated, the washer forms a stop lfor one part of the joint and has a move- Vment upon the other part of the joint sufficient to compensate for the necessary material of the stop. The outer ends of the tube H and rod I are both pivotedV to a hollow The tube I and the rod H are arranged knuckle M, (see Fig. 7,) provided with two downwardly-projecting legs m m', two horizontally-projecting ears m2 m3, opposite perforations mjt m5 in the central portion of the knuckle, similar perforations m6 m7 in-the ends of the legs, and similar perforations m8 m9 in the ears. The tube I has a forked end piece 2, which is pi'voted to the knuckle by means of two screws 3 t The end of the rod H is pivoted to the knuckle by means of a screw L, and the knuckle itself is preferably made of two parts i/ M2, as shown in Fig. 7 the part M2 comprising the ear m3 and the inner portions of the legs m m and being held in place by the pivotal connections with the .other members. A second hollow knuckle N has two ears an', pivoted between the ears m2 m3 by means of screws at a5. It also has two ears n a7 extending in the opposite direction and arranged in planes at right angles to the ears u nf, and a socket-holder O is pivoted to said ears by means of screws o o', the latter being provided with a flat head `o2 to serve as a clamping-screw to clamp the socket-holder against vertical oscillation. The socket-holder is provided with an ordinary hollow post 03 to support the lamp-socket and receive the electric cord. It should be noticed that the knuckle N has a limited swing upon the knuckle M and that the socket-holder O has shoulders 04, which limit its swing upon the knuckle N. The motion allowed to these knuckles is ample for the movement required for this joint; but it is not suflcient to permit of the straining of the wire or the breaking of the insulation.

Throughout the extent of the bracket the cord is guarded at every point against undue leXure and consequent wearing away in the use of the bracket. rIhe middle joint-for instance, where the clamp Gr of the second section turns upon the post c' of the first secton-is offset to a sufficient extent to give the vertical portion of the cord the necessary length to avoid too sharp a twist as the two sections swing one upon the other.

I have claimed herein only the general con- IOO struction of my improved bracket, the particular construction of the cord supporting and carrying parts being claimed in another application filed December 22, 1903, and alloted Serial No. 186,226.

I recognize the fact that great variation in construction is possible and that the dierent portions of the bracket herein described are capable of use with other members differing widely from those of the complete structure herein described. I do not limit myself, therefore, to the specific construction shown nor to the combinations of one part with another, except as the same are essential to the inventions set forth in the following claims.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. In a bracket of the class described, the

Combination with a vertically-disposed supporting device adapted to be secured to a wall, of a swinging arm supported by said device and composed of two members secured together at their out'er ends, the lower of said members having an integral vertical portion extending from below upward through the supporting device and the upper of said members extending from the point of connection between the two members to a point above the supporting device and there connected to the upper end of the vertical portion of the lower member.

2. In a bracket for electric lights, the combination with a supporting' device adapted to be attached to the wall, oi' a swinging arm comprising an upper and a lower member connected at their outer ends, said lower member having a vertical portion passing through the supporting device, said upper member eX- tending 'from the point of connection to a point above said supporting device, and a T-conp ling having its lateral boss secured upon the end of the upper member and its longitudinal tubular portion clamped upon the upper end of the vertical portion of the lower member.

8. In a bracket of the class described,` the combination with a suitable supporting device i'or attachment to a wall, of a swinging arm comprising an upper and a lower member secured together at their outer ends by means ot' a connecting device, which is secured against rotation upon the lower member and is itself adapted to serve as a support for other devices, said lower member having' an the motion of one section with respect to the other, comprising a piece adapted for engagement with the shoulders upon both members and movable with respect to both sections.

5. In a jointed bracket, the combination with two pivoted sections, of means for limiting the pivotal motion of one upon the other, comprising a piece movable with respect to both sections, and provided with means of engagement therewith.

In witness whereof I have signed the above application for Letters Patent, at Chicago, in the county or' Cook and State of Illinois, this 23d day of July, A. D. 1903.

'II-IEODORE SMITH.

Witnesses:

A CHAs. O. SHERvnY, MAILTIE B. BLISS. 

